Electrically operated contact device



Aug. 9, 1949. J. E. GARRIGAN .ET AL v2,478,691

ELECTRICALLY OPERATED CONTACT DEVICE Filed Sept. 10, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheetl F|G.l FIG-72 INVENTORS JOHN E. G-ARRIGAN 3 sTANLEiF D/A ATTORNEY 1949-J. E. GARRlGAN ET AL 2,478,691

ELECTRICALLY OPERATED CONTACT DEVICE Filed Sept. 10, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet2 INVENTORS. JOHN E. GARRIGAN BY STANLEY J. URDA FIG.4

1949. J. E. GARRIGAN ET AL. 2,478,691

ELECTRICALLY OPERATED CONTACT DEVICE Filed Sept. 10, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet3 FIG. 7

FIG. 8

INVENTORS JOHN EGARRIGAN BY STANLEY d DURDA ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 9,1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRICALLY OPERATED CONTACT DEVICEJohn E. Garrigan, Robbinsdale, and Stanley J.

Durda, Minneapolis, Minn., assignors of onethird to Leo M. De Mars,Minneapolis, Minn.

Application September 10, 1945, Serial No. 615,266

3 Claims. (01. 200-106) This invention relates to an electricallyoperated contact device for operating electric switches and controls toopen and close electric circuits when desired. A feature resides inproviding a solenoid for operating the switch by passing currentmomentarily through the solenoid.

In one form of the invention a single solenoid is employed to operatethe switch to open or close the same. It is a primary feature to providean electrically operated contact device wherein it is not necessary toenergize the solenoid to maintain the switch in a closed or openposition, excepting for momentary periods at which time the solenoidsoperate to release the switch arm to either close the same or to drawthe switches into open position thus one impulse of current through thesingle solenoid will open the switch and the second impulse through thesame solenoid will close the switch by releasing the mechanism whichholds the switch in open position.

In another form of our electrically operated contact device a pair ofsolenoids may be used to operate the control for the contact device andin this form one solenoid will open the switch or contact device and theother solenoid will release the switch causing it to automaticallyclose.

The electrically operating contact device may be made in various formsand where two solenoids are used the same may be placed in a manner asillustrated in the two different forms as will be herein more fully setforth so as to show the manner in which our simple switch operatingdevice may be controlled.

A primary feature of the invention resides in holding the switch orcontact device open by means of a mechanically operated catch whichautomatically engages the control arm to hold the contact device open.When a flash of current is sent through the single solenoid as in thepreferred form or in either of the solenoids in the alternative form,the switch control arm is released whereupon spring means operate toclose the switch and hold the same in closed position.

With this simple form of device, the switch for operating the motorswhich operates machines may be readily controlled and should anemergency arise such as the overheating of the motor or the electricdevice our control operates automatically to open the circuit and directthe source of current to the machine.

In devices used heretofore where the operating solenoid is in series inthe circuit with the switch or is controlled by the circuit to maintainthe solenoid under the influence of electric our- 2 rent to hold theswitch closed or open such de-' vices are inclined to fail due tobreakdown of the solenoids or imperfections thereof whereupon thecontrol mechanism is inoperative and electric motors operating large orother electric machines may be destroyed before the current operatingthe same is shut off. We overcome these objections in our device owingto the fact that current is only pass-ed through the operating sole noidor solenoids at the moment the switch is to be operated either to closethe same or to open the switch, therefore the strain of operation on thesolenoid is naturally reduced and our operating solenoids are not apt toburn out or be-v come inefiective when they may be needed dur ing acritical moment.

These features together with other details and objects will be morefully and clearly hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings forming part of the specification Figure 1 is adiagrammatic view of our preferred form of our electrically operatedcontact device showing the electric switch controlled by the same inopen position.

Figure 2 is the same view to Figure 1 showing the electric switch inclosed position and the ratchet pawl released from the control arm of thswitch.

Figure 3 illustrates an alternative form of the electrically operatedcontact device showing the same with a switch in open position.

Figure 4 is a similar view of Figure 3 showing the electric switch inclosed position.

Figure 5 is a planned view of another alternative form of ourelectrically controlled device for.

In the simple preferred form of our electricallyoperated contact deviceA we have illustrated a single electric coil or solenoid 10 which isconnected by the switch H to the source of current through the wires l2.When the switch H is operated, current is passed through the coil In tooperate the armature or switch control arm 13,

this operation is for the purpose of opening the electric switch B, thearmature I3 which is also the switch control arm operates against theaction of the coil spring 14 and causes the spring operated pawl l5 toengage in the notch IS in the arm l3, thus causing the switch B to beheld in open position even after the current has been turned oil fromthe coil It by the switch H.

In this operation the switch B may be held in open position as long asdesired.

The switch B diagrammatically illustrates the contact portions of anelectric switch and it is obvious that any other device may besubstituted for the switch B where it is desired to make and break anelectric contact or to hold one object in contact with the other or tospace the objects apart from each other.

The pawl I5 is slidably supported on the pin H. The coil spring l8 holdsthe operating end of the pawl momentarily in the notch 13 when the armI3 is in the position illustrated in Figure l. The coil spring l9 drawson the free end of the arm of the pawl 15 tending to move the pawl onthe pin [1 into the position illustrated in Figure 2. However, when thepawl 55 is engaging in the notch 26 of the arm I3 the pawl is moved intoposition illustrated in Figure 1. The two coil springs l3 and I8fioatingly support the pawl 55 in operative position.

When it is desired to close the switch or contacts B as illustrated inFigure 2 the hand operated switch H directs electric current to the coilor solenoid Ill momentarily which draws the armature arm I3 sharply downagainst the resilient bumper whereupon the free end of the pawl l5 willride up on to the cam 2i on the side of the arm [3 adjacent the pawl asillustrated in dotted outline in Figure l and asthe current is shut ofifrom the coil ill the bumper 20 and the coil spring M will rapidly drawthe armature arm l3 into the position illustrated in Figure 2 causingthe free end of the pawl IE to ride over the notch l6 andclosing thecontact of the switch B as illustrated in the drawings. The pawl arm [5will also be drawn into the position illustrated in Figure 2 with thepin I! at the opposite end of the slot 22 from that of the positionillustrated in Figure 1.

It will be apparent that it is only necessary to send current throughthe coil in momentarily to operate the armature switch arm E3 to eitheropen or close the switch B.

When the switch B is closed and it is desired to open the same theswitch I I may be operated to momentarily send current through the coilH) which draws the switch arm IS in the direction of the arrowillustrated in Figure 1 causing the pawl to engage in the notch i6 andhold the switch in open position as illustrated in Figure 1; With thissimple inexpensive form of electrically operated contact device, we cancontrol the opening and closing of switches without requiring current topass through the coil ll) continually. This reduces the strain on thecoil l0 and prolongs the life of the same.

A thermostatic switch control 23 may be inserted in the line of thewires l2 and this switch control may be located in any position desiredso that should the electrically operated device which is controlled bythe switch B become overheated or be operating in a dangerous conditionwhich might burn out the electric device, the switch 23 willautomatically operate the coil it to open the circuit of the switch B.Thus we provide a safety means in combination with the operation of ourelectrically operating contact device to control the 4 opening of thecircuit through the switch B automatically.

In Figures 3 and 4 we have illustrated the alternative form C of ourelectrically operated contact device which operates the switch B. Inthis form we provide one electric coil 24 which is connected through thehand operated switch 25 to the source of supply of electric currentthrough the wires 26. The coil 24 operates the switch control arm 21 toopen the switch B against the operation of the coil spring 28. When theswitch control arm 21 is operated by the coil 24 the ratchet arm 29 willengage in the notch 30 in the arm 27 owing to the action of the coilspring 3|, thus holding the switch B open.

A second solenoid or coil 32 is adapted to operate the arm 29 againstthe action of the coil spring 3! releasing the arm 2'! whereupon thecoil spring 28 will cause the switch B to close as illustrated in Figure4. In this manner the switch B is closed in this alternative form of ourinvention. A pair of electric coils 24 and 32 are employed. One coilnamely 24 will open the switch B and the other coil namely 32 willrelease the catch formed by the arm which is also part of the armatureof the coil 32 this engaging the same from the notch 30 and permittingthe spring 28 to automatically close the switch B. p

This alternative form of our invention operates in the same manner asthat described by the control mechanism in Figures 1 and 2 excepting twosolenoids are employed. The electric current isdirected through thecoils or solenoids 24 and 32 only momentarily and therefore we do notput any undue strain on the coils and then we have found that the lifeof the coils is greatly increased by our use of the same where we directcurrent through them only momentarily until the switch B is eitheropened or closed.

We have illustrated in the drawings a further alternative form of ourinvention in Figures 5 and 6. In this form the switch B is adapted to beopened or closed by the operation of a pair of electric solenoids 33 and35 respectively. The operation of this form. D is very similar to theoperation of the alternative form C illustrated in Figures 3 and 4.

In the alternative form of "our control D the coil or solenoid 33operates to close the switch 3 by drawing the armature switch arm 35against the action of the coil spring 36 closing the switch B The switchB is held in closed position by means of the trigger rod 31, theenlarged portion of which engages in the enlarged opening 33 in the arm35 as illustrated .in Figure 7. The trigger rod 3? which also forms anarmature for the coil 34 is held normally by the coil spring 39 inposition to hold the switch B closed. The trigger rod 3? is formed witha notched ortion 49 which is adapted to engage in the slot 4! formed oneither side of the enlarged opening 38, when the current is directedthrough the coil 34 to draw the armature trigger arm 31 up into positionto bring the notched portion 40 and the slot 4! in alignment. When thisoperation takes place, the switch 33 is automatically opened by the coilspring 35 and thus is held in open position by said spring 36.

When it is desired to close the switch B, elec-= tric current isdirected to the solenoid 33 and the armature switch arm 35 is operatedto close the switch B at which time the spring 39 causes the trigger rod31 to be operated by the spring 39 to draw the enlarged portion of thetrigger rod 3'! into the enlarged notch 38, thus locking the switch Bclosed.

We have described in our preferred form of electrically operatingcontact device a single coil for opening and closing the switch B byreleasing or setting the locking trigger or pawl I5 in the notch l6 orreleasing the same therefrom. In a similar manner we operate thealternative forms of our device as shown in the form C and D. However,the form C and D shown in Figures 3 to 8 inclusive require moremechanism and also require a pair of solenoids to operate the openingand closing of the switch 13. While the form illustrated in Figures 1and 2 is preferred it is obvious that the other forms of our switchoperating device may be employed for certain purposes and requirementsin the operation of devices which are controlled by a contact switchsuch as B or where it is desired to maintain contact devices opened orclosed. Primarily each of our devices require only the momentary impulse:of current through any of the coils to operate the respective devices.In this manner we provide an economically operated electrical contactdevice which has the advantage of long life and low maintenance and ismore reliable under all conditions than old forms of similar device foroperating switches and other devices where contact is desired to bemaintained or broken.

Referring to the control switch in Figures 3 and 4 and a similar controlswitch not shown for Figures 5 and 6, this switch 25 operates in thefollowing manner:

One button of switch 25 operates the coil 24 and the other buttonoperates the coil 32.

We claim:

1. An electrically operated contact device including contact means, anarmature arm having a notch formed therein, a pawl arm pivotally andslideably mounted adjacent said armature arm, a pawl formed on the lowerend of said am adapted to engage said notch for locking said contactmeans in open position, spring means secured to each end of said pawlarm, electric solenoid means, switch means for operating said solenoidmeans, spring means for closing said contact means, said solenoid meansoperating to draw the contact means into open position and also torelease said spring actuated pawl to permit said spring means to closesaid contact means.

2. An electrically operated contact making and breaking devicecomprising electric solenoid means, switch means for operating saidsolenoid means, contact means, spring means for maintaining said contactmeans in a closed position, an armature arm secured to one side of saidcontact means and the free end of said arm projecting through saidsolenoid means, a resilient bumper secured adjacent the free end of saidarm, a notch formed in said arm, a pawl arm operatively secured adjacentsaid armature arm, a slot formed in the upper end of said pawl arm, afixed pin positioned in said slot, spring means secured to the upper endof said pawl arm, a pawl formed on the lower end of said pawl anm,spring means secured adjacent said pawl, and a cam formed adjacent saidnotch formed in said armature arm.

3. An electrically operated contact device including an armature arm,contact means formed on one end of said arm, solenoid means foractuating said armature arm, spring means for maintaining said contactmeans in closed position, a notch formed in said armature arm, anL-shaped pawl arm pivotally and slideably positioned adjacent saidnotch, a pawl formed on the lower end of said pawl arm, a cam formedadjacent said notch, spring means attached to the upper end of said pawlarm to maintain said pawl against said arm, and spring means secured tothe lower portion of said pawl arm to maintain said pawl in a. directionaway from said contact means.

JOHN E. GARRIGAN. STANLEY J. DURDA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 552,553 Sibley Jan. 7, 18961,140,491 Anderson May 25, 1915 1,186,561 Evans June 13, 1916 1,980,458Westerfelhaus Nov. 13, 1934

